Dirigible headlight



June 3, 1930.

\.IIIIJIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII G. e. M NEE DIRIGIBLE HEADLIGHT Filed June 12, 1928 Patented June '3, 1938 I V eni'rso STATES PATENT OFFICE;

GEORGE G. I'IICNEE, OF SANTA BARBARA, GALIFGRNIA DIRIGIBLE HEADLEGHT Application filed June 12, 1928. Serial No. 284,823.

My invent-ion relates to headlights for the upper end of the post 23, and between locomotives, cars and the like, and a purthe lip 2e and. the nut 25, all for the purpose off-my invention is the provision of a pose of insuring free oscillation of the headheadlight having a support which is relight on the post.

spousivc to the action of'gra'vity to cause Extending roarwardly'froin the socket 18 :1 the headlight to assume, automatically, posiand through a suitable opening in the front tions in which it will illuminate the track wall of the housing H is an electricplug in advance of the locomotive or car, when 28 to which conductors 29 are connected, the latter is traversing the curved stretch the plug having at its forward end a pair OI" track, as well as when traversing a of contacts 30 for engagement with corre straight stretch 01" track. spending contacts 01"" the lamp plug. The

I will describe only one form of dirigible plug 98 is contained with a sleeve 31, shorter headli ht embodying my invention and will than the plug, so that the forward end of then point out the novel features in claims. the latter is free to be projected into the In the accompanying drawings: socket 18 whereby both the plug and sleeve Figure l is a View showing in vertical are supported by the socket. section one form oi dirigible headlight em- An axle 32 is supported in horizontal pobodying my invention; sition beneath the sleeve 31, one end of the Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional VlGW taken on axle being extended into a post 83 and sethe line 22 of Fig. l and looking in the cured therein by means of a screw 34:; The direction of the arrows; opposite'end of the axle is extended through F 3 is a vertical sectional view of the the forward wall of the housing and into a headlight in applied position to a loco-. suitable recess 35 in the post 23. A pendumetive; him is mounted for oscillation on the axle Fig. l is a view showing the headlight 82, and this pendulum comprises a rod 2-36 in front elevation and illustrating the penhaving a hub 3'7 rotatable on the axle dulous action 01 the headlight support; and and confined against longitudinal movement Fig. 5 is a plan view further illustr ting on the axle by means of a pair of collars the pendulous action of the-support. 38 secured to the axle by screws 39. Above letcrring specifically to the drawings, and the hub 37 the rod 36 is constructed to proparticularly to Figs. 1 and 2, my invention Vide a fork-shaped yoke 4:0, the parallel in its present embodiment comprises a housportions of which are disposed at opposite iii-g H adapted to be suitably supported on a sides of the sleeve 31. The lower end of locomotive or car, as illustrated in Fig. 3; the roc 36 is provided with a weight all 355 The front wall 15 of the housing is 5+ secured thereon by means ofa nut 42, and 8 I tended and shaped to provide a hood 16 it will be noted, by reference to Fig. 3, that for the headlight, the latter comprising a the rod and weight maybe disposed in a lamp 1'? removably fitted in. a socket 18 depending extension 43 of the housing, when and neon which la ter is su )jorted a rethe headli ht is in a died iosition to tho is provided at its lower side with a boss 21, The operation of the headlight when in and projecting downwardly from this boss applied position to a locomotive or car is as is a shaft 22 extended through a post 28. follows:

I The post 23 is supported on a forwardly hen the locomotive is traversing a projecting lip 24; of the housing H, and the straight stretch of track, the pendulum as- 9v shaft 22 is extended through this lip and sumes a perpendicular position in which provided with a nut which functions to the yoke 40 engages the sleeve 81 to mainsecure the shaft against upward displacetain the lamp and its reflector and lens in went from the post. Ball-bearings 26 and such a position that the beam of light.

27 are interposed between the boss 21 and emanating therefrom is projected forwardly fieotor l9 carrying a lens 20. The socket 18 locomotive.

to illuminate the track in advance of the locomotive. \Vhen the locomotive is traversing a curved stretch of track, the pendulum being resnonsive to the action of gravity swings to the right or left, depending upon the inclination of the curved stretch of track, thereby moving the yoke el-O in a direction opposed to the direction of movement of the weight ll and thus causing the headlight to be shifted about the shaft 35 as a center in the same direction that the weight ll is moved, all as clearly illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5.

In this manner the lamp 17 is caused to assume, automatically, at position in which the light beam therefrom is projected at such an. angle as to illuminate the curved stretch of track in zn'lvance of the locomotive so that clear viability of the track may be had by the engineer. It will, o'l course, be understood that when the locomotive is approaching a straight stretch oil? track when traversing a curved stretch tract; the headlight through the action of the pendulum will be grijulually restored to iQS normal position in which its beam is projected directly forward to illuminate a straight stretch of track.

- From. the foregoing operation it will be ma ifest that the headli it support is responsive to the action of gravity to assume, automatically, positions in which the track, in advance of the locomotive, is at all times illuminated in contradiscinction to a stationary headlight which does not illuminate the track when the latter traversing a stretch of curved track.

Although I have herein shown and deribed only one form of dirigihle headlight embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1.. A dirigible headlight for vehicles comprising an. upright shaft having a lamp thereon, a pendulum at one side of the shaft and operatively associated with the latter to shift the lamp in one direction or the other according as the pendulum is swung in one directionor the other, and a mounting for the pendulum comprising an axle, a pendulum hub on the axle, and collars adjustable on the axle to permit adjustment of the hub longitudinally on the axle whereby the pendulum can be adjusted in its operative as I" ciation with the lamp to vary the relatire movement of the lamp in respectto the pendulum.

2. A dirigible headlight for vehicles comprising an upright post, a shaft j ournaled in the post, a socket on the upper end of the shaft, a lamp carried by the socket and disposed at one side oi the shaft, a plug in the socket and extending to the other side of the shaft, a sleeve on the plug, an axle at right angles to the shaft, a pendulum having a rod provided with a hub mounted on the axle. a yoke on the rod above the hub and having portions embracing the sleeve, a weight on the lower end of tire rod, and collars embracing the hub and adjustable on the axle for the purpose described.

8. A dirigible headlight for vehicles comprising a housing having a flange at its forward side, a post on the flange, a shaft journaled in the post and having its lower end projecting through the flange, a nut on the lower end of the shaft, ball-bearings interposed between the nut and the flange, a socket on the upper end of the shaft, ballbearings interposed between the plug and the post, a lamp in the socket at one side oi the shaft, a hood on the housing for the lamp, a plug in the socket and extending into the housing, a sleeve on the plug, an axle in'the housing below the plug, a post for supporting one end of the axle, the other end of the axle being supported by the first post, a pendulum comprising a rod having a hub on the axle, a fork-shaped yoke on the rod above the hub and having the parallel portions thereof disposed opposite sides of the sleeve, a weight on the lower end of the rod, and a pair of collars on the axle having set-screws for securing the collars at opposite sides of the hub and to permit adjustment of the collars longitudinally on the axle for the purpose described.

Signed at Santa Barbara, in the county of Santa Barbara and State of California this 1st day of June, ll) 8 .l'i. l),

GEORGE G. MoNEE. 

